Email: ken.wenman@aace.org.uk
Ken joined the NHS aged 21 and has undertaken many senior roles within the Ambulance Service including operational management and education and development. Ken has a master’s degree in management from Plymouth University.
Ken was the CEO of South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWAST) for a period of 14 years leading the organisation through a series of mergers and acquisitions whilst also developing the Trust to become the first ambulance service to achieve NHS Foundation Trust status.
Prior to his appointment as CEO of SWAST on 1 July 2006, his accomplishments also included:
- Chief Executive of the Dorset Ambulance Service NHS Trust
- Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Operations for the former Westcountry Ambulance Services NHS Trust
- State registered paramedic
- First Chairman of the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine (the forerunner to the Health Professions Council)
- Instrumental in establishing the Paramedic Register
Ken also led AACE’s National Director Groups on HR & Workforce, Operations and IT and was a member of the Board of the Association of Ambulances Chief Executives.
Ken retired as CEO from SWAST in August 2020 and also now holds a non-executive position with a social enterprise community benefit start-up company NetFriends, a new volunteer-based service providing support to the elderly – and those with learning difficulties on how to leverage the best from IT systems.
